cayosusa Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 One thing left on my bucket list and that is to find a meteorite in the desert. My husband is providing the trip for my son (lives in Boise but will travel) and me (live in Florida but will travel). I tried to sign up with a company that provides metal detectors and instructions on their use, and takes you out into I think Gold Basin - not sure. They provide guidance and education and stay with you all day. Unfortunately the company is all booked up and not taking any more reservations.Really want to go and my son is enthusiastic too. We are both in good health and pretty hearty. We've been in the desert in high heat and both do fine.If anyone knows of any companies or reputable hunters interested in providing us with instruction and guidance and metal detectors and taking us out for a day, please let me know. It's not only on my bucket list, but is my Christmas present too.Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 There are lots of friendly people on this forum...When would your trip occur?Do you have metal detectors or experience using detectors?Will you have your own transport?How many days will you hunt?just some of the questions inquiring minds have.....fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayosusa Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Our trip could occur almost anytime with 1 month notice, except early June. My son would have to have time off OK'd by work, and airfare is prohibitive the closer you get to a date. We would hunt 1 or 2 days. We had planned on meeting in Las Vegas and renting a car.......but he also may drive down and meet me in LV. Doesn't have to be LV.Many years ago, a wonderful gentleman named Stan (on this forum) took my husband and I to Gold Basin. We extra carefully packed our metal detector but it wouldn't work. We wound up hunting with neodymium magnets on sticks. We had a great time anyway. He refused to accept anything for his 'services', even though we stayed a long time and it was hot!The metal detector I have is an older Minicab X-terra 30. It will not detect meteorites. The only knowledge of how to use it is from watching youtube and reading the owners manual- I am definitely a novice with it.This time, I would want someone who could provide me/us with the detector/s and instructions for the day, take us into a strewn field and teach how to hunt and identify. We would be delighted to pay for it. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick in Havasu Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Try Frank C.and Bunk. Both are good guy's, and know GB well.Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I second that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertphile Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 "The metal detector I have is an older Minicab X-terra 30. It will not detect meteorites." If it detects iron, it will detect most meteorites. If you are interested in the Las Vegas area (Amargosa Desert / East Mojave Desert), you might want to search the "dry lakes" to the south, such as near the Silurian Hills and Silver Lake. You would wish to walking over the flat, resurfaced "dry lake" surface and look for rocks laying on the surface, and pass your metal detector over them. The odds are not very good for finding meteorites, but on "dry lakes" the odds improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikestang Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 If it detects iron, it will detect most meteorites. .Unfortunately that's not true, many (most?) metal detectors will not see meteorites, even if they're right on the surface. A quick test with a throw-down will tell you if it's going to work or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayosusa Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 So what type of detector will find meteorites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikestang Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) VLF metal detectors made for hunting gold are best suited for finding meteorites. They operate at a higher frequency (19 - 72khz) than coin/relic detectors (2 - 7khz). Higher frequency means the detector will be able to detect smaller amounts of metal (iron in the case of meteorites) deeper. Most chondrites contain less than 30% iron, much harder to spot than a piece of solid metal. The gold machines also have ground balancing which allows you to detect in highly mineralized ground which is what you'll find in just about the whole desert in the US southwest.The most common/effective meteorite detectors are, in no particular order:White's Goldmaster 2White's Goldmaster V-SATOriginal Fisher Gold BugWhite's Goldmaster 3White's Goldmaster 4White's GMTFisher Gold Bug 2White's GMT and Fisher GB2 are by far the most popular from what I've seen in the field. I have a GB2, as do 90% of the people I hunt with, it's a great meteorite detector.Get yourself a throw-down meteorite and if your detector can see it from a couple inches away then you are set! Edited January 22, 2015 by Mikestang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredmason Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 FYI;the reason many coin-detectors will not detect chrondrites is because they have a built-in level of descrimination. yes, I know you may have an all-metal setting but that ain't necessarily so...You can buy a Gold-basin meteorite pretty cheap these days...fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Fred is right. Many 'simple to use' detectors are built to ignore the ground, the minerals in the ground and many subtle variations. A meteorite can sometimes be ignored by these detectors as being the ground, a hot rock or just not enough metal to be a relic, coin or nugget.That being said, there are a few detectorists among us like Dolan Dave who can find a meteorite with just about any detector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimaggio1103 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 What about a bounty hunter lone star pro? Is it decent enough for entry level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimi Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 WOW! I had some time tonite, so I decided to browse thru the archives and found this post. If this the couple who gave me a small piece of pottery that they made I still remember them. We had a great time out there in the heat. Hope they are doing some beeping and finding some good items out there. Aloha and be safe out there y'all.Stan aka Ka'imi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mn90403 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 I thought it sounded like you Stan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayosusa Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 YES!!! It's us. Sue and Alan from Florida. I still have the pic of you holding your two meteorites that you found that day! Hope you are doing well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertphile Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Unfortunately that's not true, many (most?) metal detectors will not see meteorites, even if they're right on the surface. A quick test with a throw-down will tell you if it's going to work or not.Thank you for correcting my mistake. I now suspect I may have tossed away a few meteorites because they were not ferrous enough. Argh! On the plus side, I know where I put them..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Au Seeker Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Happy Birthday Sue, a link to your birthday topic.http://www.nuggetshooter.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=28258 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimi Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 YES!!! It's us. Sue and Alan from Florida. I still have the pic of you holding your two meteorites that you found that day! Hope you are doing well!Aloha you guys! Ahh the fond memories of hunting out in the fields and just walking all over them spacerocks. Unfortunately that is not going to happen any time soon I guess. Had a stroke about 2 years ago and lost my peripherial vision on my left side, So I decided to stop driving and sold my blue jeep to another forum member. BTW, I believe I still have that little handmade pottery piece. Great times were had by all that weekend for sure.Aloha and stay safe out there,Ka'imi aka Stan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cayosusa Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 To KaimiWe will probably go out the end of April. I will definitely let you know how we do!!!Stan - Stay well. We think of you often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepyjim Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 FYI;You can buy a Gold-basin meteorite pretty cheap these days...fredWhere would one go to buy a throw down?Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaimi Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 To KaimiWe will probably go out the end of April. I will definitely let you know how we do!!!Stan - Stay well. We think of you often.Aloha you guys,Remember to go low and slow and ALWAYS dig every target. You never know what you will find out there. Good luck with your hunt and remember to stay safe. IMUA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikestang Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Where would one go to buy a throw down?JimTerry Scott sells a few of his Franconia finds on ebay at a fair price: http://www.ebay.com/sch/ocotilloscott/m.html?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEFSXS%3AMESOI&_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2654 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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